Popular Tourist Sites in Istanbul, Turkey

As president of K Restoration and Roofing Corp. (KR&R), Barry Grummer is responsible for ensuring customers receive high-quality preventative maintenance and facade restoration services. Outside of work, Barry Grummer is an avid traveler and has been to a number of countries and cities around the world, including Istanbul, Turkey.

With a rich history that dates back to approximately 1000 BC, Istanbul, Turkey, has a wide range of attractions and sites that draw tourists. The following are just a few of the most popular attractions that the city has to offer.

– Istanbul Archaeological Museum: showcasing more than 1 million objects from around the world, including Alexander the Great’s sarcophagus, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum is actually three museums combined into one. It was opened in 1891 and is the first Turkish museum ever created.

– Aya Sofya: completed in AD 536 by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, Aya Sofya served as a way for the emperor to showcase his wealth to the world. Previously called the Hagia Sophia, this church was first converted to a mosque during the Ottoman invasion in the 15th century, and later transformed to a museum in the 20th century. The Aya Sofya is considered one of the city’s greatest landmarks.

– Basilica Cistern: a source of water for residents of Istanbul for over a millennium, the underground Basilica Cistern holds just under 3 million cubic feet of water. The cistern was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Justinian I and is a remarkable example of the ancient Romans’ advanced technology.

– Topkapi Palace: located near the Bosphorus strait, Topkapi Palace was built in the 15th century by Mehmet the Conqueror. Well-preserved intricate designs appear throughout much of the structure, which includes a variety of rooms, from the harem and second court to the Sacred Safekeeping Room.